3 Ways Jenny Yang Challenged Me
by Alex Ruybalid, Partner Engagement Director
This past Saturday, Jenny Yang (Senior Vice President of Advocacy & Policy for World Relief) visited Kansas City to talk about the biblical response to the current displacement crisis in our world.
She opened her time saying how the issue of immigration is not a political issue for her, but a personal issue. She uses her family’s immigration story and the bible, to inform her advocacy for immigrants and refugees during the current displacement crisis which is statistically worse than the years following World War 2.
After outlining the global crisis with examples from Syria, Jordan, Venezuela, Honduras, and more, she then went into the Bible’s explicit command (the Hebrew word for immigrant is used 92 times in the Old Testament) to care for immigrants.
“9 “Do not oppress the immigrant; you yourselves know how it feels to be immigrants because you were foreigners in Egypt. ”
Challenged
Here were a few points she made that served as challenging reminders:
1) One thing she said that challenged me was when she talked about how much God emphasized care for the immigrant. She mentioned how the Bible mentions caring for the immigrant more than it mentions loving our own family. This hit me hard. It is obvious that both are important, but this is how serious God takes loving our immigrant neighbors.
L to R: Jarrett Meek, Carla Flores, Jenny Yang, and Reid Kapple
2) Another great reminder that Jenny presented, is that the reasons people migrate have always been the same. Whether it is 2022 or 1630, humans migrate to escape oppression, injustice, religious intolerance, and to create better futures for their families. The reasons that brought eastern Germans and Italians to the United States in the 1800s are the same as the reasons bringing families from Honduras and Haiti today. In spite of the stereotypes we are taught, let us always empathize and understand the “push” factors of immigrants.
3) A final great reminder that Jenny presented was on the rule of law. We Christians can be quick to dismiss other believers breaking the law in oppressive countries smuggling Bibles, but we are much slower to forgive Christian immigrants for breaking the law to bypass a broken immigration line in order to escape violence or improve lives for their families. Why does the church stand for rule of law in one instance, but not in the other?
All three of these points were “oh wow” moments for me, personally. They are biblical points that push against the hiding stereotypes in the back of my mind. These are such important challenges for me and for the church as we seek to live out the commands of Christ.
More than anything, I left Saturday’s event feeling encouraged and inspired. Our very own Carla Flores and Jarrett Meek shared, as well as Reid Kapple (Christ Community Olathe) and Sterling Evans (Refuge KC). It encouraged me to see Jenny speak so calmly, empathetically, and hopefully about the church’s opportunity in this moment. To not look through the lens of fear at an immigration “crisis”, but as an unprecedented opportunity for church revival from the faith of immigrants, and a chance to show the love of Christ to 84 million displaced people.
I left encouraged by Carla’s words to remain in proximity with your immigrant neighbors, and to continue to do the work locally.
I am so thankful to be in this work with immigrant friends and co-workers. I am so fortunate to work on such a diverse staff with unique backgrounds and experiences. I am so thankful to be working with my white friends in the church as well who see the urgent biblical call to welcome with open arms those who don’t look exactly like us.
This current moment and current crisis of displaced people in our world is an opportunity for the church.
Will we follow the news or follow biblical commands?
Will we meet this opportunity or insulate ourselves from it?
Will we fight against changing demographics or celebrate the diversity of God's creation?
Will we assign labels or will we see the imago dei?
Will we cower in fear or stand in love?
The church's response starts with you and me.
Mission Adelante cohosted this event as part of the I Was a Stranger KC team. This team is dedicated to engaging the church to welcome immigrants and refugees to KC. If you would like to learn more, please “like” our page on facebookand stay tuned for future opportunities.
You can watch the full recording of Saturday’s event below -
I also invite you to pray with me this week
That our hearts would be open.
That we would empathize, seek to understand.
And that God would show us how we can love our neighbor as ourself in this moment.
